


Force Impressions

by firewolfsg



Series: A Second Chance at Life AU [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types, Star Wars: Thrawn - Timothy Zahn
Genre: First Meetings, Gen, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-26
Updated: 2017-07-26
Packaged: 2018-12-07 06:45:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11618163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firewolfsg/pseuds/firewolfsg
Summary: They were trying to make a good impression on this new race of aliens they’d just met and stay out of trouble. Really!  At least Anakin made a friend, but the kid’s superior hasn’t been entirely thrilled about the whole thing.





	Force Impressions

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, Timothy Zahn has stated that Mitth'raw'nuruodo was 35 during Outbound Flight. However, I rather would prefer it if there was some small chance that Thrawn could still be alive and has a tiny possibility to appear in the later movies; he needs to be younger to do that. He would have been about 71 during the Thrawn Trilogy /the Aftermath books and a centenarian during the Force Awakens. Not ideal, especially since Canon now apparently states that Chiss age at about the same rate as humans (unlike Legends).
> 
> So, in my head canon for the new timeline, Outbound Flight didn’t happen; Thrawn is younger than Anakin when they met during the Clone Wars; and Thrawn wasn’t a Fleet Commander, but a young sub commander under an older Chiss Commander who was grooming him for eventual command. Also, I’d like to think it was a brash Jedi Knight Anakin, a Cunning Warrior, who educated an impressionable young Thrawn in the concept of the 'Pre-emptive strike', much to the absolute horror of the Chiss Commander.
> 
> I imagined too that Thrawn and Anakin got on like a house on fire despite the language difficulties and bonded over tinkering with engines and equipment, and bitching about their respective ‘elders’; Thrawn about his overprotective older brother Thrass who he escaped from through joining the Chiss Expansionary Force only to find himself in the company of older officers who were just as protective, and Anakin about Obi-wan for being a stick in the mud cautious Jedi Master and various other Jedi regulations.

Obi-wan didn’t want to continually get his companion in trouble with his commander, but he really did enjoy the company of this young Chiss who was now happily helping him dig into the guts of his ship to repair the damage; damage caused by the pirates he and Anakin had been escaping from when they ran straight into the Unknown Regions and into the path of a Chiss Expansionary Force fleet. If he hadn’t witnessed it himself, Obi-wan wouldn’t have believed that this small fleet, made up of five little ships, could have completely decimated the Pirates’ supposedly superior forces the way they did. Helping them out seemed almost like as afterthought, as this blue skinned, red eyed humanoid race efficiently claimed the now floating hunks and their treasures for the Chiss Ascendancy.

Though he had been initially wary and guarded when he met them, the Commander Zozzi’rune’aigho hadn’t been shy about praising his subordinate who he claimed was the one responsible for the strategy that took down the superior force of pirates, gave victory to the CEF fleet, and as a side effect saved the lives of Obi-wan and Anakin. However, while their rescuers were kind enough to tow the Jedi to one of their outposts and give them the resources to repair their ship, apart from the young sub commander, this new alien species were quite standoffish.

To be fair, it wasn’t like it was easy for them to converse, since the Chiss only spoke Cheunh, Sy Bisti or Minnisiat; the latter two apparently being the trade languages of some of the Rim worlds. Only Zozzi’rune’aigho knew enough Basic to hold an actual conversation with them. The young sub commander, Mitth'raw'nuruodo, however, had some rudimentary knowledge of Basic and seemed quite eager to practice and gain some proficiency.

The Commander of the Chiss Fleet, hadn’t been very pleased about his subordinate’s curiosity and interest, but he was reluctantly agreeable to let Mitth'raw'nuruodo practice his Basic with Obi-Wan and Anakin. The young Chiss was even friendly enough to let them call him by his Core name, Thrawn; a privilege and familiarity that Zozzi’rune’aigho was clearly not happy with, but as his subordinate pointed out was preferable to having the Jedi repeatedly mangle his name when trying to say it. Neither Obi-wan nor Anakin dared to try speaking Zozzi’rune’aigho’s name for fear of insulting him. They just called him ‘Commander’.

General assistance aside though, Zozzi’rune’aigho remained quite hesitant to find out more about the worlds that the Jedi came from and the conflict they were currently engaged in. Not that young Thrawn was any more open to hear about the conflict that Obi-wan was in a hurry to return to. But the young Chiss was curious about their ship and more than willing to lend a hand in their repairs. And much to Obi-wan’s surprise, he apparently was building a good rapport with Anakin despite the language barrier.

Obi-wan had to admit to feeling some surprise that Anakin was displaying so much patience with the skinny lad in teaching him more of their language; granted it was more the name of ship parts in Basic than actual conversation. However, the Jedi Master was harbouring a suspicion too that the two younger men were communicating well enough to indulge in a quiet bitch fest with regards to their respective elders.

Unfortunately, they hadn’t known how much Thrawn was sacrificing in keeping their company until the first time the lad had fallen asleep while helping Anakin check circuit board diagrams. It was only then that they realised that Zozzi’rune’aigho had been keeping his young charge slightly busier than usual at their outpost to try and discourage him from keeping company with them, and that Thrawn was giving up a significant amount of his rest hours to help Anakin tinker and fix the Jedis’ equipment.

The elder Chiss had not exactly been understanding the second time he caught Anakin trying to quietly carry the exhausted Chiss back to his apartments. Really, Obi-wan thought having already been caught once, during which the Jedi Knight had learned Thrawn roomed near the Commander, that Anakin should have awakened Thrawn before helping him back.

Anakin had been rather red faced when he reported back to Obi-wan and related how the older Chiss had practically snarled in his face as he took the still sleeping Thrawn from his arms and sent the Jedi on his way. And this time they didn’t see hide nor hair of the young sub commander for a few days.

Until now that is.

Obi-wan wondered if Thrawn had escaped his Commander to sneakily return to assist in their repairs. The Jedi Master rather uncharitably thought that the elder Chiss might get rid of them faster if he had other engineers and technicians assisting them in their repairs, alien equipment or not.

The question of whether Thrawn had permission to come to their aid once more was rather stridently answered with the Commander’s angry shout in the hanger. “Mitth'raw'nuruodo!”

The young officer shot to his feet in attention as he turned to face his angry superior. Unfortunately, he hadn’t watched where he was placing his foot and before Obi-wan could call a warning, Thrawn had stepped on some cables and slipped to fall over the edge of the ship.

“Thrawn!”

The Jedi had carefully kept their Force abilities to themselves for the entire time they were with the Chiss, who they had realised were Force Blind. However, at this moment Obi-wan knew they had no choice. A fall from this height had a high possibility of being fatal and they could not let their young friend suffer for their secret.

Obi-wan caught the falling boy in the Force and pushed him towards where Anakin was on the ground. The Jedi Knight likewise used the Force to assist his leap up to meet, and catch Thrawn securely in his arms. Upon his landing though, the two Jedi were to find every blaster in the hanger pointed at them.

Anakin stood very still with Thrawn cradled in his arms. While Obi-wan held out both hands, empty palms displayed, and leaped down to land in front of them not far from the approaching Chiss Commander. 

“And just what 'Jedi' devilry is this?” Zozzi’rune’aigho strode forward with his blaster held at ready before him.

“Peace, Commander. We really come in peace.” Obi-wan told him softly. “We told you we were Jedi, but we did not explain that it was a title due to our abilities. It was not our intention to deceive, but we understood too that our abilities would be alarming to those who do not share or know of them. That is the only reason we were not forthright about our abilities.”

The Chiss Commander glared at him. “And so, it is for this reason that you do not bother to use safety lines when you are climbing about your ship.”

Obi-wan grimaced as he turned slightly to regard the young sub commander who was still held cradled in Anakin’s arms. “That is correct. Though I now stand admonished for not considering sub commander Thrawn’s need for a safety line, when I allowed him to join me on top of my ship.”

“Are there many like you on your worlds?” Zozzi’rune’aigho demanded as he looked to where Thrawn was regarding the awkwardly attentive Anakin with open curiosity and interest without any indication of fear for the abilities demonstrated.

“There are more than a few of us on both sides of the conflict that we left behind and desire to re-join.”

“Interesting…”

"We would be glad to share with you everything you wish to know of what we can do. Full disclosure, if you please. We have no ill intention and will pledge not to hold secrets with our rescuers.”

The Chiss Commander continued to stare at Obi-wan a moment longer before he at last gestured for his security forces to lower their weapons. "I will hold you to your promise, Jedi Kenobi. And I will also speak with our superiors. Perhaps-- we will accept your offer of information exchange with your Republic."

That was an unexpected positive to Obi-wan's eyes. However, a flicker of the Chiss' expression brought the Jedi Master’s attention back to Anakin and the young Chiss who they’d unthinkingly put in danger though saved from injury.

“Anakin? You can let Thrawn down again…”

Anakin almost dropped the lad in surprise, but strengthened his grip again to gently lower the younger man back on his feet.

“Thank you-- for-- save.” Thrawn told him sincerely in his broken Basic as he stared up at Anakin.

If the Jedi Knight had wanted to say anything in response though, he lost his chance as Zozzi’rune’aigho's huge hand fell on Thrawn’s slim shoulder and the younger Chiss was quickly pulled away.

Obi-wan shook his head as he approached his former Padwan after Thrawn and his Commander were out of sight. “Anything you’d like to admit to, Anakin?”

“What? He was light! *Too* light and skinny for his height.” Anakin looked at him defensively. “I was hardly aware of the weight in my arms. Really!”

“You do realise the Commander is— ‘guarding’ his subordinate like he’s a virginal daughter and we’re bad influences?” The Jedi Master pointed out. “You’ve not exactly helped things along by holding the lad in a bride carry as often as you have, in this short time we’ve been with them.”

“I don’t mean anything by it! It’s not like I chose to do it for-- for reasons?” Anakin protested in wide eyed mortification. “It just—it just happens!”

“I’m sure…” Obi-wan deadpanned. “Now come on, I don't know how real our chances really are to get the Chiss to start diplomatic overtures with the Republic, but all the same, we’d better hurry with our repairs before we outstay our welcome."

“They can get us out of their hair a lot faster if they’d offer some help.” Anakin groused under his breath, but he went back to work without another grumble.

* * *

 

Following this incident though, the Chiss did volunteer assistance and under Thrawn's direction to boot; since he was now familiar enough with their equipment to guide the technicians on what were equivalent systems to that used by the Chiss. Additionally, the higher ups in the Chiss had apparently had their interest piqued as well, as one of their Star Cruisers was assigned to follow the Jedi on a diplomatic mission to the Republic. Only as far as one of the Rim Worlds that the Chiss were familiar with though and not all the way to a Core World, but they counted their victories where they fell.

It was then that Obi-wan and Anakin were introduced to Admiral Ar'alani who was to lead the mission. Commander Zozzi’rune’aigho and sub commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo were even included in her party, much to Zozzi’rune’aigho's reluctance. It was rather clear that Zozzi’rune’aigho really wanted to remove his impressionable young officer from further contact with these troublesome aliens.

True to his word, Obi-wan spoke to the Admiral and the Commander about the Force and how Jedi could sense and harness it. It was as exhausting an exercise as Obi-wan feared it would be, as his audience was as sharp as a Master in any of the formal lessons he'd ever taken at the Jedi Academy with their probing questions. However, it was an effort he was glad to participate in as he did think that the Chiss would be a powerful ally for the Republic to gain.

The Jedi, unfortunately, weren’t to know of the disasters to come once they landed on the designated Rim World planet. In particular, when they encountered one of their own associates, Jedi Master Jorus C'baoth. But that was a story for another time.

End


End file.
